What is in your imagination when it comes to India? Most will say that it is sari, Taj Mahal, Bollywood, elephants, tea and many aromatic and spicy dishes. It is about the specifics of Indian cuisine that will be discussed.
The most important thing in the national Indian cuisine is, of course, spices. Cayenne pepper, curry, turmeric, cloves, cumin, cinnamon, garam masala, cardamom - local chefs have many spices at their disposal, and traditional dishes sometimes use more than 30 types of spices. You can imagine what a great bouquet of flavors you get!
Hindus are very lucky with the climate. In some parts of the country, the crop is harvested 4 times a year. Perhaps that is why vegetarianism was born here. Plant food lovers live mainly in the south of India. Curiously, they do not eat tomatoes and beets, because the color of these vegetables is similar to the color of blood. The staple food of Indian vegetarians is sweet peppers (not red), dates, yellow lentils, and rice.
Meat dishes are more common in the north of the country. Rice-based biriani is especially popular. There are about 20 recipes for this dish: with meat, with chicken, vegetables, shrimps. For biriani, rice, meat (vegetables, fish) and saffron sauce are prepared separately and combined just before baking. In this case, the pan, which goes into the oven, is covered with a lid or rim of dough so that the magic aromas do not leak out.
If you are familiar with the mouth-watering tandoori chicken, be aware that this dish also comes from the northern regions of India. For him, the bird is cooked in a special tandoori oven. Thanks to the special marinade and quick roasting, the chicken takes on a beautiful red color.
Due to ancient customs and religious laws, the consumption of beef and meat from other cattle is prohibited in India. However, having butter obtained from the milk of a sacred cow on the table is considered a sign of solidity and wealth, since this product is very expensive.
The British had a great influence on the tastes of the Indians. Since the days of the British East India Company, the most popular dessert in the country is milk pudding, and the best drink is the excellent local tea. They prefer to brew the latter by immediately adding milk and sugar to the kettle.
